Multi-trench 3d magic ball

ABSTRACT

A multi-trench 3D magic ball comprises a round ball; at least four trenches formed in a surface of the ball; each trench being formed as a close loop and being intersected with another trench; a plurality of moving units engaged in the trenches; at least two difference features being formed on the moving units; as one moving unit being moved, other moving units adjacent to the moving unit to be pushed and thus move therewith so as to along one trench received them; a moving unit in one trench being movable along another trench which is intersected with the trench it located. All the moving units fully fills the trenches; by driving one moving unit, other moving units are pushed so that after some complicated operations, the pattern of the moving units arranged on the ball is formed to match a specific arrangement.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to games like magic cubes; and in particular to a multi-trench 3D (three dimensional) magic ball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Magic cube is a widely known and popular game over several decades. Number of bricks in one side of a cube may be from 2 to 10. Generally, a cube with 3 bricks in one side is mostly popular. That is, there are 3×3×3 bricks in one cube, including a center controlling element, 6 center bricks in the centers of six faces of the cube, 12 side bricks and 8 corner bricks. After arranging in order, each face of the cube has a specific color and is rotatable without affecting other faces. The user can rotate different face of the cube to adjust the positions of bricks in the cube to achieve the object that the bricks on the same face of the cube have the same color.

Some improvements about magic cubes are proposed. For example, the shape thereof is not a cube, but a polygonal shape, or the rotation directions of the bricks are confined.

However, all these modified forms of the magic cubes are confined in some identical viewpoints so that they cannot provide more challenges and more interesting to users. For a long time, the gainers feel tedious to the game. Therefore, there is an eager demand for a novel design which can provide more interesting and challenge to users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, to improve above mentioned defects in the prior art, the present invention provides a multi-trench 3D magic ball, in that by the present invention, the user can move the moving units on the trenches of the ball so as to form as various different patterns on the ball, as those used in the magic cubes. Furthermore, the present invention provides various different ways for forming the trenches on the ball, such as four trenches, six trenches and nine trenches on the balls. However, the confinements of the present invention are more strictly than those in the conventional magic cubes and thus provides more amusements to players.

To achieve above object, the present invention provides a multi-trench 3D magic ball comprising: a round ball; at least four trenches formed in a surface of the ball; each trench being formed as a close loop and being intersected with another trench; a plurality of moving units engaged in the trenches; at least two difference features being formed on the moving units; as one moving unit being moved, other moving units adjacent to the moving unit to be pushed and thus move therewith so as to move along one trench received them; a moving unit in one trench being movable along another trench which is intersected with the trench it located. All the moving units fully fills the trenches; by driving one moving unit, other moving units are pushed so that after some complicated operations, the pattern of the moving units arranged on the ball is formed to match a specific arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ball body in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the ball body in the first, embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the ball body in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the way for constructing the trenches in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the moving unit of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing the moving unit of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the elements in the first embodiment of the present invention, where each trench has 24 moving units and slopes of two sides of the base is 15 degrees with respect to the bottom of the base.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the ball body in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the ball body in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the ball body in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the way for constructing the trenches in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the ball body in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the ball body in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the ball body in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing the way for constructing the trenches in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the ball body in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is an elevational view of the ball body in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the ball body in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing the way for constructing the trenches in the second embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order that those skilled in the art can further understand the present invention, a description will be provided in the following in details. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are only used to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to be used to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 20, the multi-trench 3D magic ball of the present invention is illustrated. The present invention includes the following elements.

A ball 10 has a round ball shape.

At least four trenches 20 are formed in a surface of the ball 10. Each trench 20 is formed as a close loop and is intersected with another trench 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, one arrangement of the present invention is illustrated, in that a center of the ball 10 is as an original point of coordinate and a positive X axis, a negative X axis, a positive Y axis, negative Y axis, a positive Z axis, and a negative Z axis are extended from the original point. Totally, there are six axes. For each axis, a point (like x1 in FIG. 5) is get as a center point of one of a trench 20. Thus for the six axes, there are six trenches 20 and each trench 20 is intersected with at least one trench 20.

A plurality of moving units 30 are engaged in the trenches 20. At least two difference features are formed on the moving units 30, such as two different colors. In assembly state, a top end of each moving unit 30 protrudes from the trench 20. Preferably, all the moving units 30 fully fill the trenches 20 and the moving units 30 are arranged side by side. Preferably, intersecting points of two trenches 20 only receives one moving unit 30. As one moving unit 30 moves, other moving units 30 adjacent to the moving unit 30 to be pushed, and thus move therewith so as to move along one trench 20 received them. A moving unit 30 in one trench 20 is movable along another trench 20 which is intersected with the trench 20 it located.

Each moving unit 30 includes a base 31, a connecting unit 31 and an upper cover 33, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The base 31 has a ball-like shape to be embedded into one of the trench 20. The connecting unit 32 has a post-like structure and extended upwards from a surface of the base 31. An upper end of the connecting unit 32 is inserted into a recess 331 of the upper cover 33 for connecting therewith.

Preferably, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 8, the ball 10 is formed with six trenches 20. Each trench 20 is located with 24 moving units 30 which are arranged tightly side by side. Totally, there are 120 moving units 30 on the ball 10, in that each intersecting point between two intersecting trenches 20 can only receive one moving unit 30. Each moving unit 30 has a color which is selected from specific six colors. For each color, just 20 moving units 30 are painted with the color. After a regular arrangement, moving units 30 of one color can be arranged like a

shape.

In use, a user can drive all the moving units 30 in the trenches 20 by driving one moving unit 30 to push other moving units 30 so that after some complicated operations, the pattern of the moving units 30 arranged on the ball 10 is formed to match specific arrangement. This operation is like that applied to the conventional magic cube.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 12, the second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this the present invention, there are only four tracks on the ball 10. In that, a center of the ball 10 is as an original point of a coordinate and a positive X axis, a negative X axis, a positive Y axis, and a negative Y axis are extended from the original point. Totally, there are four axes. For each axis, a point (like x1 in FIG. 5) is designated as an original point of one of a trench 20. Thus for the four axes, there are four trenches 20 and each trench 20 is intersected with at least one trench 20.

With reference to FIGS. 13 to 16, the third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, nine trenches 20 are formed on the ball 10, in that, a center of the ball 10 is as an original point of a coordinate which includes an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis. Totally, there are three axes. Each axis is intersected with the surface of the ball 10 at two extreme points. Each axis is used as a normal line and three surfaces are built based on this normal line. The three surfaces intersected with the axis on three points (x1, x2, x3) which are connected the two extreme points of the axis. The three surfaces intersected with the surfaces of the ball 10 so as to form with three trenches 20. By the same way, other trenches 20 are built from another two axes. Because there are three axes, totally, there are nine trenches 20 on the ball 10 as illustrated in the drawings. The arrangements of the moving units 30 are like those above said and thus the details of the moving units 30 will not be further described herein.

With reference to FIGS. 17 to 20, the fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, a center of the ball 10 is as an original point of the ball 10. A Y axis passes through the original point and is intersected with the ball 10 on two extreme points y1, and y2. Based on the point y1, three circles are built which encircles the point y1, and each circle is formed with a trench 20. Similarly, based on the point y3, three circles are built which encircles the point y3, and each circle is formed with a trench 20. As a result, three are six trenches 20. At least one trench 20 based on the point y1 is intersected with at least one trench 20 based on the point y2. The arrangements of the moving units 30 are like those above said and thus the details of the moving units 30 will not be further described herein.

Advantages of the present invention are that by the present invention, the user can move the moving units on the trenches of the ball so as to form as various different patterns on the ball, as those used in the magic cubes.

Furthermore, the present invention provides various different ways for forming the trenches on the ball, such as four trenches, six trenches and nine trenches on the balls. However, the confinements of the present invention are more strictly than those in the conventional magic cubes and thus provides more amusements to players.

Advantages of the present invention are that a plurality of trenches are arranged on one ball so as to form different moving paths for a plurality of sliding elements 30 filled into the trenches 20. Users can adjust the sliding elements 30 one by one to achieve a specific requirement or configuration for the sliding elements 30. It is tricky and more difficult for users. And it is very interesting and needs a large amount of think so as to increase the wisdom of the user.

The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A multi-trench 3D magic ball comprising: a round ball; at least four trenches formed in a surface of the ball; each trench being formed as a close loop and being intersected with another trench; a plurality of moving units engaged in the trenches; at least two difference features being formed on the moving units; as one moving unit being moved, other moving units adjacent to the moving unit to be pushed and thus move therewith so as to move along one trench received them; a moving unit in one trench being movable along another trench which is intersected with the trench it located.
 2. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein all the moving units fully fills the trenches; by driving one moving unit, other moving units are pushed so that after some complicated operations, the pattern of the moving units arranged on the ball is formed to match a specific arrangement.
 3. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein each moving unit includes a base, and a connecting unit; the base has a ball-like shape to be embedded into one of the trench; the connecting unit has a post-like structure and extended upwards from a surface of the base.
 4. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein the is formed with six trenches.
 5. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein a center of the ball is as an original point of a coordinate and a positive X axis, a negative X axis, a positive Y axis, a negative Y axis, a positive Z axis, and a negative Z axis are extended from the original point; totally, there are six axes; for each axis, a point is set as a center point of a circle on a surface of the ball and a trench is formed along the circle; and for the six axes, there are six trenches and each trench is intersected with at least one another trench.
 6. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein a center of the ball is as an original point of the ball; an axis passes through the original point and is intersected with the ball on two extreme points; based on one extreme point, three circles are built which encircles that extreme point, and a trench is formed along one of the three circles; similarly, based on another extreme point, three circles are built which encircles the another extreme point, and a trench is formed along the circle circling the another extreme point; as a result, three are six trenches; at least one trench based on the former extreme point is intersected with at least one trench based on the another extreme point.
 7. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein a center of the ball is as an original point of a coordinate and a positive X axis, a negative X axis, a positive Y axis, and a negative Y axis are extended from the original point; totally, there are four axes for each axis, a point is designated as an original point of one of a trench; and therefore for the four axes, there are four trenches and each trench is intersected with at least one another trench.
 8. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein a center of the ball is as an original point of a coordinate which includes an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis; each axis is intersected with a surface of the ball at two extreme points; a selected axis is used as a normal line and three surfaces are built based on this normal line; the three surfaces intersected with the selected axis on three points which are located between the two extreme points of the selected axis; the three surfaces intersected with the surfaces of the ball so as to form with three trenches on the ball; by the same way, other trenches are built for another two axes; totally, there are nine trenches on the ball.
 9. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feature of the moving unit is colors.
 10. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim in claim 1, wherein a top end of the moving unit protrudes from a respect one of the trenches so that a user can drive the moving unit easily.
 11. The multi-trench 3D magic ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein all the moving units are adjacent side by side; all the moving units fully fill the trenches so as to form as a continuous structure; and an intersection area of two trenches only receives one moving unit. 